Practicing Peace

My world is a little quieter now. August finds bees humming around the tree nursery and the familiar pace of our home reflects the summer breeze. For now we take it all in humble appreciation. We relish this time and recognize its uniqueness. Life changes in an instant and this summer season I began a new journey. One full of hope, trepidation, and eagerness. As long as the days are, so is my peace for what today is.

Today is the Lord’s day and it is well in my soul.

Each day we have many choices to make. Some choices are easy like lingering longer by the water on a hot summer night. Other choices, such as speaking a kind word to someone who just cut in front of you can be a little more challenging.  Both give us opportunities to make a choice in what we are practicing in our life. Our lives have obstacles that will distract us, confuse us, anger us, but despite those feelings we steer the ship those emotions are on. We have a higher purpose than what those obstacles have to say about us. We are uniquely designed with voids only God can fill and with Him, we have the power of Jesus Christ to crush any barriers so we can walk in the freedom His blood gave us.

It does not mean our life will be barrier free, it means we have the choice on how we will walk through them.

Our barriers do not define us, our God does. That means in the loudest parts of our world, there can be rest when we go in His presence. When circumstances happen that make no sense, we can surrender to His plans and recognize He is sovereign and will take us through the tough days ahead. It means when we have our backs up against the wall and no more strength to go on, we can fall into His arms for protection. He is mighty and has already saved us from the enemy who circles us but has no hold on us. We can choose to be bold yet meek, courageous yet humble, hopeful in the despair.

What are you choosing today my friend?

Your choice will reflect who you are but can I remind you we are created in His image. Can we pause to ponder what that means?

It means the impossible is possible because all things are possible through God. Rain can fall during a draught, triumph can be had for the oppressed, and light will be bright in the darkness.

Previous journeys have taught me lessons to navigate through the obstacles before me. However every journey has a lesson in itself, so we must prepare accordingly. Just like gold does not refine itself, it becomes refined with fire. Therefore, we practice making wise choices not necessarily to become perfect, but so we rise to the occasion when we are tested in the fire. What we practice is what we will do in those hard times and we will not falter when our foundation is in Him.

So today I am choosing to have peace.

Peace with the Holy Spirit and hope for the day. Not because that seems like a nice idea, but because there is a freedom from the unknown found there.

My summer days are slowly exhaling before taking a big gulp of air starting the fall harvest season. Many changes are on the horizon. Many choices will be made because of them. With practicing to put my trust in our Lord I can choose this; it will be well in my soul no matter what the journey brings.